Pub Date : 2022-04-05DOI: 10.26420/anndepressanxiety.2022.1114
Gurevitz M
The daily strive to get to work and back home through traffic congestions; passing the day without conflicts; improving the life style when money is short; overcoming medical problems; raising and securing the family, and tolerating unfulfilled dreams are only a portion of constantly bothering issues. No wonder then that in this chaotic reality and despite various joyful and satisfying moments, the majority of grown-ups claim that they are unhappy. Amazingly, however, there are always those who believe and declare that they are happy, which raises the question what is happiness and what is it constituted from. Google suggests that “Happiness is that feeling that comes over you when you know life is good and you can’t help but smile. It’s the opposite of sadness. Happiness is a sense of well-being, joy, or contentment. When people are successful, or safe, or lucky, they feel happy”. This description combines a number of positive experiences and feelings, that most likely affect our brain to release chemicals recognized as the ‘good guys’, in contrast to the ‘bad guys’, chemicals secreted in situations of sadness, agony, pain, failures, disappointments and frustrations that affect brain circuits associated with unpleasant emotions and thoughts. Although moments of satisfaction, joy and pleasure raise good feelings, these are usually temporary, whereas happiness in its broader essence reflects a positive state of mind based on numerous parameters that collectively raise a long-lasting contentment. When a person claims he is happy, he probably disregards his difficulties and concentrates on a particular issue that makes him feel good (e.g., love, professional success, good health, overcoming a major difficulty, listening to beloved music, winning in sport).
{"title":"Happiness - An Evasive State of Mind","authors":"Gurevitz M","doi":"10.26420/anndepressanxiety.2022.1114","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.26420/anndepressanxiety.2022.1114","url":null,"abstract":"The daily strive to get to work and back home through traffic congestions; passing the day without conflicts; improving the life style when money is short; overcoming medical problems; raising and securing the family, and tolerating unfulfilled dreams are only a portion of constantly bothering issues. No wonder then that in this chaotic reality and despite various joyful and satisfying moments, the majority of grown-ups claim that they are unhappy. Amazingly, however, there are always those who believe and declare that they are happy, which raises the question what is happiness and what is it constituted from. Google suggests that “Happiness is that feeling that comes over you when you know life is good and you can’t help but smile. It’s the opposite of sadness. Happiness is a sense of well-being, joy, or contentment. When people are successful, or safe, or lucky, they feel happy”. This description combines a number of positive experiences and feelings, that most likely affect our brain to release chemicals recognized as the ‘good guys’, in contrast to the ‘bad guys’, chemicals secreted in situations of sadness, agony, pain, failures, disappointments and frustrations that affect brain circuits associated with unpleasant emotions and thoughts. Although moments of satisfaction, joy and pleasure raise good feelings, these are usually temporary, whereas happiness in its broader essence reflects a positive state of mind based on numerous parameters that collectively raise a long-lasting contentment. When a person claims he is happy, he probably disregards his difficulties and concentrates on a particular issue that makes him feel good (e.g., love, professional success, good health, overcoming a major difficulty, listening to beloved music, winning in sport).","PeriodicalId":8256,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Depression and Anxiety","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"91369483","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-04-05DOI: 10.26420/anndepressanxiety.2022.1115
Gurevitz M
Among matters that occupy the mind of people since early history are fears of the unknown and death that have most likely triggered the need for a patronizing superpower, namely, God. Limited understanding of surrounding wonders, hard survival, and refusal to comply with our relatively short life span have probably prompted this need, which intensified with growing hostility among tribes and rising civilizations fighting over territory, resources and leadership. Although physical power has always been a dominating factor in these human struggles (as is among animals), the developed brain and verbal communication provided an additional powerful tool used by smart individuals and minorities to gain control over ignorant, frightened masses. In convincing the audience about their ability to convey prayers and requests to the ‘heavenly patron’, God, these people (e.g., Shamans, Prophets, Priests, Monks, Rabies, Islamic preachers) have actually constituted a new status, ‘sanctified mediators’, from which the road to establishment of a new religious movement, based on an unusual individual, was paved. To ratify their sacred status, these people cleverly attributed the creation of the world (still an unsolved issue) to God, and formed a virtual reality accompanied by rituals that attracted the masses. They exploited the need of people for a patronizing superpower to constitute a religion that provided ‘answers’ to the rising curiosity, limited scientific knowledge, and spiritual requirements of the masses, but also to gain superiority as well as advance their own abundance and wealth. Not only that people now had a God to lean on, the sanctified mediators further strengthened their status by composing social and religious rules with an entire set of orders (do and don’t do) and worships that included prayers and ceremonies, aiming to please God and obtain his mercy and support. In administrating the worships these mediators utilized the amazing obedience consent of people to satisfy their spiritual needs, and so they took control over the masses.
{"title":"Religion - A Sophisticated Strategy to Gain Control Over the Masses","authors":"Gurevitz M","doi":"10.26420/anndepressanxiety.2022.1115","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.26420/anndepressanxiety.2022.1115","url":null,"abstract":"Among matters that occupy the mind of people since early history are fears of the unknown and death that have most likely triggered the need for a patronizing superpower, namely, God. Limited understanding of surrounding wonders, hard survival, and refusal to comply with our relatively short life span have probably prompted this need, which intensified with growing hostility among tribes and rising civilizations fighting over territory, resources and leadership. Although physical power has always been a dominating factor in these human struggles (as is among animals), the developed brain and verbal communication provided an additional powerful tool used by smart individuals and minorities to gain control over ignorant, frightened masses. In convincing the audience about their ability to convey prayers and requests to the ‘heavenly patron’, God, these people (e.g., Shamans, Prophets, Priests, Monks, Rabies, Islamic preachers) have actually constituted a new status, ‘sanctified mediators’, from which the road to establishment of a new religious movement, based on an unusual individual, was paved. To ratify their sacred status, these people cleverly attributed the creation of the world (still an unsolved issue) to God, and formed a virtual reality accompanied by rituals that attracted the masses. They exploited the need of people for a patronizing superpower to constitute a religion that provided ‘answers’ to the rising curiosity, limited scientific knowledge, and spiritual requirements of the masses, but also to gain superiority as well as advance their own abundance and wealth. Not only that people now had a God to lean on, the sanctified mediators further strengthened their status by composing social and religious rules with an entire set of orders (do and don’t do) and worships that included prayers and ceremonies, aiming to please God and obtain his mercy and support. In administrating the worships these mediators utilized the amazing obedience consent of people to satisfy their spiritual needs, and so they took control over the masses.","PeriodicalId":8256,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Depression and Anxiety","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"77355853","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-03-09DOI: 10.26420/anndepressanxiety.2022.1113
Simone Bung, H. Saile, R. Laessle
Girls with chronic headache often suffer also from marked anxiety and depression. The present study used psychological and biological characteristics related to stress load and stress coping to predict anxiety and depression. This was done by regression analysis. Anxiety could be better explained than depression. Psychological and physiological stress load played a significant role, but not activity of HPA axis, although cortisol awakening response was heightened specifically for headache sufferers.
{"title":"Stress Related Determinants of Anxiety and Depression in Young Girls with Chronic Headache","authors":"Simone Bung, H. Saile, R. Laessle","doi":"10.26420/anndepressanxiety.2022.1113","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.26420/anndepressanxiety.2022.1113","url":null,"abstract":"Girls with chronic headache often suffer also from marked anxiety and depression. The present study used psychological and biological characteristics related to stress load and stress coping to predict anxiety and depression. This was done by regression analysis. Anxiety could be better explained than depression. Psychological and physiological stress load played a significant role, but not activity of HPA axis, although cortisol awakening response was heightened specifically for headache sufferers.","PeriodicalId":8256,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Depression and Anxiety","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-03-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"74265778","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-12-17DOI: 10.26420/anndepressanxiety.2021.1111
Probert-Lindström S, A. L.
Background: Strong evidence suggests that suicide attempters who repeat suicide (re-attempters) may differ from those with a single attempt (single attempters) in various clinical and sociodemographic factors. Furthermore, there is some evidence that re-attempters may be characterized by higher levels of neuroticism, a well-known risk factor for completed suicide compared to single attempters. Purpose: The aim of the present study was to investigate the possible association between neuroticism and re-attempted suicide. Methods and Materials: 230 recent drug-free suicide attempters were involved into the study. Clinical diagnoses were assessed by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Third Edition-Revised (DSM-III-R). Personality traits were measured by the Karolinska Scale of Personality (KSP). Results and Conclusions: There was a significant association between re-attempted suicide, female gender, personality disorder and higher levels of impulsivity. We found that re-attempters had significantly higher levels of neuroticism compared to single attempters adjusted of gender, personality disorder diagnosis, age and impulsivity. Our result gives further evidence for the association between re-attempted suicide and neuroticism.
{"title":"The Association between Neuroticism and Re-Attempted Suicide","authors":"Probert-Lindström S, A. L.","doi":"10.26420/anndepressanxiety.2021.1111","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.26420/anndepressanxiety.2021.1111","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Strong evidence suggests that suicide attempters who repeat suicide (re-attempters) may differ from those with a single attempt (single attempters) in various clinical and sociodemographic factors. Furthermore, there is some evidence that re-attempters may be characterized by higher levels of neuroticism, a well-known risk factor for completed suicide compared to single attempters. Purpose: The aim of the present study was to investigate the possible association between neuroticism and re-attempted suicide. Methods and Materials: 230 recent drug-free suicide attempters were involved into the study. Clinical diagnoses were assessed by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Third Edition-Revised (DSM-III-R). Personality traits were measured by the Karolinska Scale of Personality (KSP). Results and Conclusions: There was a significant association between re-attempted suicide, female gender, personality disorder and higher levels of impulsivity. We found that re-attempters had significantly higher levels of neuroticism compared to single attempters adjusted of gender, personality disorder diagnosis, age and impulsivity. Our result gives further evidence for the association between re-attempted suicide and neuroticism.","PeriodicalId":8256,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Depression and Anxiety","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-12-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"79525322","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-12-08DOI: 10.26420/anndepressanxiety.2021.1110
O. E, K. S, H. E, T. M
Introduction: The incidence of cancer in Sudan, like other world, shows an increasing pattern; consequently, a greater number of people are expected to take the role of principal caregivers in the near future. Hence, it is high time to achieve inclusive knowledge about the outcome of caregiver burden related to the caregiver’s well-being. Materials and Methods: This study is a cross-sectional, observational study aiming to assess psychological distress among the principal family caregivers of cancer patients at oncology public specialized outpatients’ clinics in Khartoum State. Multiple validated and structured questionnaires and a checklist were implemented to collect relevant data related to both cancer patient and family caregiver. Systematic random sample was applied to recruit 143 of cancer patients’ caregivers. Results: Majority of cancer patients were females 56.6% and 32.2% were in the age group (51-65) years. Breast cancer and leukemia were the most frequent types of cancer among participants, with 11.9% each. Regarding family caregiver most of them were females 54.5% with average age was (37.7) years. About half of them were the cancer patient’s child descendants. Concerning psychological distress among family caregivers, depression and anxiety were reported by (53.8%) and (72.7%), respectively. Psychological distress is more prevalent among caregivers with subsequent characteristics: females, younger and middle age, and lower economic status. Conclusion: Findings point to high proportions of elevated psychological distress, among family caregivers of cancer patients. Further, longitudinal studies with qualitative dimensions are recommended. Multidisciplinary arrangements are necessary to meet caregivers’ needs.
{"title":"Psychological Distress among Family Caregivers of Cancer Patients Khartoum State 2020","authors":"O. E, K. S, H. E, T. M","doi":"10.26420/anndepressanxiety.2021.1110","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.26420/anndepressanxiety.2021.1110","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction: The incidence of cancer in Sudan, like other world, shows an increasing pattern; consequently, a greater number of people are expected to take the role of principal caregivers in the near future. Hence, it is high time to achieve inclusive knowledge about the outcome of caregiver burden related to the caregiver’s well-being. Materials and Methods: This study is a cross-sectional, observational study aiming to assess psychological distress among the principal family caregivers of cancer patients at oncology public specialized outpatients’ clinics in Khartoum State. Multiple validated and structured questionnaires and a checklist were implemented to collect relevant data related to both cancer patient and family caregiver. Systematic random sample was applied to recruit 143 of cancer patients’ caregivers. Results: Majority of cancer patients were females 56.6% and 32.2% were in the age group (51-65) years. Breast cancer and leukemia were the most frequent types of cancer among participants, with 11.9% each. Regarding family caregiver most of them were females 54.5% with average age was (37.7) years. About half of them were the cancer patient’s child descendants. Concerning psychological distress among family caregivers, depression and anxiety were reported by (53.8%) and (72.7%), respectively. Psychological distress is more prevalent among caregivers with subsequent characteristics: females, younger and middle age, and lower economic status. Conclusion: Findings point to high proportions of elevated psychological distress, among family caregivers of cancer patients. Further, longitudinal studies with qualitative dimensions are recommended. Multidisciplinary arrangements are necessary to meet caregivers’ needs.","PeriodicalId":8256,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Depression and Anxiety","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-12-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"84240138","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-11-04DOI: 10.26420/anndepressanxiety.2021.1109
S. Assari
Background: Limited knowledge exists on the role of Perceived Discrimination (PD) as a social determinant and risk factor that influences children’s brain development and whether this association is different for male and female children. Aim: To examine the association between PD, the superior frontal cortex, and sex differences in a national sample of 9/10-year-old children in the US. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 8,719 children from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. The exposure variable was PD, and the outcome variables were the right and left superior frontal cortex surface areas, measured using structural MRIs. Covariates included: age, family structure, parental education, household income, stressful life events, financial stress, neighborhood poverty, and neighborhood toxins/pollutants (lead, PM2.5, and NO2). We used a mixed-effect regression model for data analysis to adjust to the nested nature of the ABCD data. Results: There was an inverse association between PD and superior frontal cortex surface area in children. We found a statistically significant interaction between PD and the superior frontal cortex, indicating a more prominent inverse association between PD and superior frontal cortex surface area in males than females. Similar findings were observed for the right and left hemispheres. Conclusion: High levels of PD may be a more salient determinant of superior frontal cortex surface area for male than female children. Sex may alter the relevance of high PD for the brain development of US children. More research is needed on the mechanism by which sex differences emerge in the association between PD and brain development.
{"title":"Perceived Discrimination and Superior Frontal Cortex Surface Area in Children: Sex Differences","authors":"S. Assari","doi":"10.26420/anndepressanxiety.2021.1109","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.26420/anndepressanxiety.2021.1109","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Limited knowledge exists on the role of Perceived Discrimination (PD) as a social determinant and risk factor that influences children’s brain development and whether this association is different for male and female children. Aim: To examine the association between PD, the superior frontal cortex, and sex differences in a national sample of 9/10-year-old children in the US. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 8,719 children from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. The exposure variable was PD, and the outcome variables were the right and left superior frontal cortex surface areas, measured using structural MRIs. Covariates included: age, family structure, parental education, household income, stressful life events, financial stress, neighborhood poverty, and neighborhood toxins/pollutants (lead, PM2.5, and NO2). We used a mixed-effect regression model for data analysis to adjust to the nested nature of the ABCD data. Results: There was an inverse association between PD and superior frontal cortex surface area in children. We found a statistically significant interaction between PD and the superior frontal cortex, indicating a more prominent inverse association between PD and superior frontal cortex surface area in males than females. Similar findings were observed for the right and left hemispheres. Conclusion: High levels of PD may be a more salient determinant of superior frontal cortex surface area for male than female children. Sex may alter the relevance of high PD for the brain development of US children. More research is needed on the mechanism by which sex differences emerge in the association between PD and brain development.","PeriodicalId":8256,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Depression and Anxiety","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-11-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"82377843","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-10-30DOI: 10.26420/anndepressanxiety.2021.1108
M. S., Bradley Ba
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), mental health is defined as “a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community” (World Health Organization 2018). A human being is not a human being without considering both their physical and mental health. Society has bred a stigma encompassing mental illness, prompting numerous individuals to feel as though a conversation about psychological well-being is unusual or unorthodox. The COVID-19 pandemic has witnessed an escalation in mental illness especially in the young adult population (ages 11-24), as a result of social isolation and decreased faceto- face connection with others. The adolescent and young adult population is vulnerable to mental health issues and is being cultivated in a society where conversations are not held. This study will evaluate the implementation of mental health literacy curriculums into several school systems, as mental health promotion should be mainstreamed to mitigate the potential growth of stigma in the future.
{"title":"Analysis of a Mental Health Literacy Curriculum and Self-Care Resource Database as a Path to Reducing Stigma in Young Adult Population","authors":"M. S., Bradley Ba","doi":"10.26420/anndepressanxiety.2021.1108","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.26420/anndepressanxiety.2021.1108","url":null,"abstract":"According to the World Health Organization (WHO), mental health is defined as “a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community” (World Health Organization 2018). A human being is not a human being without considering both their physical and mental health. Society has bred a stigma encompassing mental illness, prompting numerous individuals to feel as though a conversation about psychological well-being is unusual or unorthodox. The COVID-19 pandemic has witnessed an escalation in mental illness especially in the young adult population (ages 11-24), as a result of social isolation and decreased faceto- face connection with others. The adolescent and young adult population is vulnerable to mental health issues and is being cultivated in a society where conversations are not held. This study will evaluate the implementation of mental health literacy curriculums into several school systems, as mental health promotion should be mainstreamed to mitigate the potential growth of stigma in the future.","PeriodicalId":8256,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Depression and Anxiety","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-10-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"75203681","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-08-24DOI: 10.26420/anndepressanxiety.2021.1107
Gutu Sm, Cosmoiu A, Cojocaru D, Turturescu D, Popoviciu Cm, Giosan C
Web-based conversational agents powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and rooted in cognitive-behavioral therapy have been proven efficacious in alleviating the symptoms of anxiety and depression, when compared to passive controls. However, the benefits of a fully automated agent vs. active controls have not yet been examined. Furthermore, the potential impact of such interventions on the transdiagnostic factors underlying anxiety and depression is not known. To elucidate this, 95 adults were randomized to receive (1) a 2-week intervention with an AI-powered chatbot (Woebot) (n=39) or (2) regular psychoeducational materials (n=54). In completers’ analyses, significant main effects of time were obtained for one of the primary outcomes, anxiety, and for the secondary outcomes, transdiagnostic factors, with both groups showing decreased anxiety and intolerance of uncertainty and increased rumination, selfcompassion, guilt and shame. No group by time interaction effects were found for either of the primary outcomes, depression and anxiety, or for the secondary outcomes. Intent-to-Treat analyses also revealed no significant effects of group on the primary or secondary outcomes. Our findings point to the necessity of further research to better understand the areas where chatbots might bring benefits superior to those obtained through simple and inexpensive strategies.
{"title":"Bot to the Rescue? Effects of a Fully Automated Conversational Agent on Anxiety and Depression: A Randomized Controlled Trial","authors":"Gutu Sm, Cosmoiu A, Cojocaru D, Turturescu D, Popoviciu Cm, Giosan C","doi":"10.26420/anndepressanxiety.2021.1107","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.26420/anndepressanxiety.2021.1107","url":null,"abstract":"Web-based conversational agents powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and rooted in cognitive-behavioral therapy have been proven efficacious in alleviating the symptoms of anxiety and depression, when compared to passive controls. However, the benefits of a fully automated agent vs. active controls have not yet been examined. Furthermore, the potential impact of such interventions on the transdiagnostic factors underlying anxiety and depression is not known. To elucidate this, 95 adults were randomized to receive (1) a 2-week intervention with an AI-powered chatbot (Woebot) (n=39) or (2) regular psychoeducational materials (n=54). In completers’ analyses, significant main effects of time were obtained for one of the primary outcomes, anxiety, and for the secondary outcomes, transdiagnostic factors, with both groups showing decreased anxiety and intolerance of uncertainty and increased rumination, selfcompassion, guilt and shame. No group by time interaction effects were found for either of the primary outcomes, depression and anxiety, or for the secondary outcomes. Intent-to-Treat analyses also revealed no significant effects of group on the primary or secondary outcomes. Our findings point to the necessity of further research to better understand the areas where chatbots might bring benefits superior to those obtained through simple and inexpensive strategies.","PeriodicalId":8256,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Depression and Anxiety","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-08-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"90012503","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-08-18DOI: 10.26420/anndepressanxiety.2021.1106
Heinz I, Mergl R, A. K, Hegerl U, Rummel-Kluge C
Background: Depression stigma is a clinically relevant factor negatively affecting the help-seeking process and depression care. Relatives of individuals suffering from depression play an important role in service utilization and in depression treatment, but little is known about their depression stigma compared to the stigma of individuals affected. Aims: We investigated whether individuals with depression, relatives and individuals being both - affected and relative - differ in depression stigma. Methods: Paper-pencil questionnaire data of 216 study participants from a German depression congress in 2017 were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis tests to investigate subgroup differences and Mann-Whitney-U tests for post-hoc comparisons. Ordinal logistic generalized regression models with the dependent variables being the stigma sum scores and the independent variables “group”, “gender” and “age” were computed. Results: Participants being a relative of an individual with depression, being affected by depression or being both - relative and affected - reported comparable personal and perceived depression stigma. There was a statistical trend for group differences in personal stigma in the total sample, due to significantly lower personal stigma in male participants being affected by depression compared to male participants having a family member affected. Conclusions: Relatives of individuals with depression appear to have similar stigmatizing attitudes as affected individuals themselves. Potential differences in personal stigma in male relatives compared to male patients require further research, since they have implications for anti-stigma activities as well as for depression care.
{"title":"Personal and Perceived Depression Stigma in Individuals Affected by Depression and Relatives: Results of a Survey among Attendees of a German Depression Congress","authors":"Heinz I, Mergl R, A. K, Hegerl U, Rummel-Kluge C","doi":"10.26420/anndepressanxiety.2021.1106","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.26420/anndepressanxiety.2021.1106","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Depression stigma is a clinically relevant factor negatively affecting the help-seeking process and depression care. Relatives of individuals suffering from depression play an important role in service utilization and in depression treatment, but little is known about their depression stigma compared to the stigma of individuals affected. Aims: We investigated whether individuals with depression, relatives and individuals being both - affected and relative - differ in depression stigma. Methods: Paper-pencil questionnaire data of 216 study participants from a German depression congress in 2017 were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis tests to investigate subgroup differences and Mann-Whitney-U tests for post-hoc comparisons. Ordinal logistic generalized regression models with the dependent variables being the stigma sum scores and the independent variables “group”, “gender” and “age” were computed. Results: Participants being a relative of an individual with depression, being affected by depression or being both - relative and affected - reported comparable personal and perceived depression stigma. There was a statistical trend for group differences in personal stigma in the total sample, due to significantly lower personal stigma in male participants being affected by depression compared to male participants having a family member affected. Conclusions: Relatives of individuals with depression appear to have similar stigmatizing attitudes as affected individuals themselves. Potential differences in personal stigma in male relatives compared to male patients require further research, since they have implications for anti-stigma activities as well as for depression care.","PeriodicalId":8256,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Depression and Anxiety","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-08-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"90960519","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-07-02DOI: 10.26420/anndepressanxiety.2021.1104
Jalal Mja, Iqbal Kmm, N. S, Basheer S
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic, relapsing, and remitting systemic disease. Autoimmunity and protean clinical manifestations affecting almost all the systems are the hallmarks of SLE. Systemic lupus can affect the central nervous system. The severity of CNS manifestations varies from less severe subclinical neurocognitive dysfunction affecting memory, intellect, and learning to more severe manifestations such as seizure, stroke, or transverse myelitis [1]. The psychotic features of primary psychiatric disorders overlap with Neuropsychiatric SLE (NPSLE) and often mask and delay the diagnosis of NPSLE.
{"title":"Postpartum Psychosis Masking the Diagnosis of Neuropsychiatric Lupus","authors":"Jalal Mja, Iqbal Kmm, N. S, Basheer S","doi":"10.26420/anndepressanxiety.2021.1104","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.26420/anndepressanxiety.2021.1104","url":null,"abstract":"Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic, relapsing, and remitting systemic disease. Autoimmunity and protean clinical manifestations affecting almost all the systems are the hallmarks of SLE. Systemic lupus can affect the central nervous system. The severity of CNS manifestations varies from less severe subclinical neurocognitive dysfunction affecting memory, intellect, and learning to more severe manifestations such as seizure, stroke, or transverse myelitis [1]. The psychotic features of primary psychiatric disorders overlap with Neuropsychiatric SLE (NPSLE) and often mask and delay the diagnosis of NPSLE.","PeriodicalId":8256,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Depression and Anxiety","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"80048721","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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